For owners of boats, yachts, and other water crafts, a marine generator can come in very handy and offer a better experience. When selecting a marine generator for a water craft, there are many variables to consider. The very first consideration is deciding how much power needs to be provided by the generator. A generator should be able to run all necessary appliances with at least a minimal usage of at least 40% to a max of around 80%. To size the correct power for the marine generator, make a list of wattage ratings of all appliances that will be powered on the water craft. Note both the running and any startup wattage required for each appliance. This will help determine how much wattage a marine generator should be providing. A marine generator should provide 20% more wattage than required. Poweredgenerators.com recommends taking your wattage list to a generator dealer who can calculate the proper generator size for running all appliances at once. Another consideration is between the type of fuel for the generator. Gas and diesel are the two dominant types of marine generators but hydrogen is making a big push.
Features of Marine Generators
There are many features that marine generators should have and those that just making the experience of owning one better. A voltage regulator is a great feature to have because it controls the amount and quality of power going to electrical appliances. This prevents electrical damage and extends generator life. Another good feature is sound enclosures and quieter running engines. This is a feature that is not fully appreciated until tried out. A marine generator should also have very easily accessible maintenance areas. For easy engine maintenance, spin off fuel filters, sea water pump or other water separator, and other features help keep a generator running better. Control panels are a feature to definitely consider as it allows access to everything about the marine generator including amount of power, load, and fuel. Circuit breakers are additional add ons that can help protect marine generators and other electrical equipment. There are many other good features that extend marine generator lifetime, fuel efficiency, and many others as well.
Marine Generator VS Inverter
An inverter changes DC battery power into AC power that can be used to power electrical equipment on boats. For small boats with small electrical needs, this solution could be a good choice. However, a drawback to inverters is that power is derived from the boat’s battery and wattage amounts are smaller than those of marine generators. Marine generators are designed to provide more consistent power that can be run for sometime without saving power from the boat’s battery. Marine generators are better for higher power needs and bigger boat applications.